396.1 GE/5–754: Telegram
The United States Delegation to the Department of State
priority
Secto 136. Repeated information Paris 217, London 134, Moscow 51. Following agreement between Bidault and Molotov regarding issuance invitations to Indochina phase Geneva Conference, US, UK and French delegation heads joined in invitations to Vietnamese, [Page 719] Cambodian and Laotian representatives. Soviets, presumably taking as pretext fact invitations our side had not been issued by single state was case in Korean phase, issued invitation to Viet Minh in name of USSR and Chinese People’s Republic (as reported by Tass). This obviously violation of Four-Power Berlin Agreement.
We have discussed matter with French and British delegations making suggestion that French delegation as Berlin power on our side chiefly interested in Indochina, should make statement for the record to the effect that form of invitation to Viet Minh violated Four-Power accord. There would be no question of contesting right of Viet Minh to be present or of demanding that correct invitation be forwarded.
French and British have now indicated their unwillingness to make such a statement on matter which they apparently regard as purely procedural. They believe that while Soviet violation exists, our side has not accepted or agreed to such violation and in any case they do not see utility of raising issue at this point. They apparently wish avoid any risk of debate or loss of time on this issue which their public opinions would regard as very minor in context major Indochina problems.
We believe we should not let this incident pass unnoticed although we do not believe that critical importance should be attached to it. We would not wish to be put in position that because we have not raised issue in case of invitation to Viet Minh, we are obliged to accept Five-Power principle in event additional invitations are issued. Furthermore, passing mention this violation of agreement by USSR would serve again highlight Secretary’s success in completely blocking manifold Soviet attempts to secure acceptance Five-Power principle at Geneva.
US delegation believes matter could be handled either (a) through brief statement for the record at opening meeting on Indochina or (b) through statement by General Smith at press conference. Choice of methods would seem to depend in part on extent to which issue has been played in American press. (We have seen only editorial mention New York Times May 4.) We would wish to avoid strong reaction by USSR which would be designed put US in position of having raised purely procedural issue on which we would have little support from our friends and which would delay cessation of fighting in Indochina generally.
If statement on this point is made by US delegation at plenary meeting, it would follow a general expression of the US delegation’s satisfaction that the Indochina phase of the conference has now opened and of the delegation’s determination to work with other delegations [Page 720] for the restoration of peace in Indochina under conditions that will guarantee the integrity and freedom of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Proposed text on invitation issue follows:
“The United States delegation takes this opportunity to recall that at Berlin, the US joined with France, the UK and the USSR in agreeing to organize a conference at Geneva to consider the problems of Korea and of Indochina. Subsequently, the same four powers reached agreement as to the composition of the Indochina phase of the conference, an agreement reflected in the presence here today of the nine delegations in this hall. As in the case of the Korean phase, there are only four inviting powers, the UK, France, the US and the USSR. Therefore, if, as has been stated in press reports, the invitation issued to the so-called Democratic Republic of Vietnam appears in the name of both the USSR and the Communist Chinese regime, that invitation is, in its form although not in substance, at variance with the clear understanding of the Foreign Ministers present at Berlin last February. Assuming the press reports to be accurate the US delegation can only regret that the Indochina phase of this conference should be initiated by a procedural evasion on the part of the USSR of previously reached agreements.”
Please instruct urgently.1